Did Dez Bryant do the right thing?

I was going to write tonight's post about the NBA, but another story caught my attention so I've decided to run with it.  Earlier this week, the Dallas Cowboys had some unusual drama at their training camp.  Their rookie first-round draft pick wide receiver Dez Bryant refused to carry the shoulder pads of veteran wide receiver Roy Williams.  Before I go into my opinion on Bryant's action, a little back story is necessary. 

In the NFL, veteran players commonly haze rookies at training camp (as well as throughout the year).  They do this to show the rookies that no matter how great they were in college, the NFL is a whole different ball game.  The higher a player is drafted, the worse his hazing is.  Common hazing includes setting up meeting rooms, getting everyone is your position group's breakfast, paying for dinners for the whole team, and of course, carrying the veterans pads to and from practice. 

A little knowledge of both characters is also necessary.  Roy Williams is a veteran wide receiver who the Dallas Cowboys traded an arm and a leg to get from the Detroit Lions two years ago.  He was brought in to replace the recently departed Terrell Owens as Dallas's #1 receiver.  Before last season, he signed a 6 year, $54 million contract that cemented his status as the Cowboys' top target.  Then, last year he played terribly and was replaced by Miles Austin as Tony Romo's top target.  Now, Roy Williams is fighting for his starting job with none other than Dez Bryant.  Bryant is a former Oklahoma State player who was suspended for most of last year's college football season for accepting advice from Deion Sanders in a way that violated NCAA rules.  That trangression, and others, have given Bryant the reputation of being a rule-breaker and a difficult player to manage.  Still, he is as talented as former Cowboy Michael Irvin, so Dallas decided to take him in the first round.

What separates this situation from most rookie situations is that high-profile rookies and high-profile veterans rarely compete for starting jobs during training camp.  Usually first rounders are handed a starting job from day 1 or they wait a year or two behind an established veteran before starting.  In either of these situations, hazing is to be expected and the rookie would be smart to take it and go about his business.  But Bryant's situation is exceptional.  He is competing with Williams for a starting spot and playing time and is looking for any edge to put himself over the top.  By refusing Williams request he did two things.  First, he got inside Williams' head by rejecting the NFL status quo.  Second, and more importantly, he made a statement to Roy Williams that Dez Bryant is not some rookie to be looked down; rather, he is an equal to be respected and possibly even feared.  Bryant said that he came to training camp to win a starting job, not to carry pads.  After the athletic love fest we've experienced the last few months (that means you Miami Thrice), it is refreshing to see athletes who still want to compete, sportsmanship be damned.  You go Dez Bryant!